OF

EN T R I E S

ON THE

Books of the STATIONERS' COMPANY.

A charter was granted to the Company of Stationers on the 4th of May, 1556, (third and fourth of Philip and Mary,) and was confirmed by Queen Elizabeth in 1560.

The first volume of these Entries has been either lost or destroyed, as the earliest now to be found is lettered B.' The hall was burnt down in the fire of London. The entries begin July 17, 1576.

1562.
[ + Receyvd of M. Tottle for his license for

pryntinge of the tragicall- History
of the Romeus and Juliett with
Sonnettes.

A. fol. 86. a.]”,

N. B. The terms book and ballad were anciently used to fignify dramatick works, as well as any other forms of composition ; while trage ly and comedy were titles very often bestowed on novels of the serious and the lighter' kind.

STEEVENS. Ŝ

Since this was written, the first volume, marked A, has been found. MALONE.

6 This article, within crotchets, is from Vol. I. which (as Mr. Malone obferves) las since been discovered. STEEVENS. VOL. II.

B

7

Again, Feb. 18. 1582. Vol. B. M. Tottell.] Romeo and Juletta. Again, Aug. 5, 1596,-as a newe ballet, for Edward White.

C. p. 12. b. April 3, 1592. Edw. White.] The tragedie, of Arden of Feversham and Black Will. :

286 April 18, 1593. Rich. Field. ] A booke entitled Venus and

Adonis. 9

297 b.

7 This and the foregoing are perhaps the original work on which Shakspeare founded his play of Romeo and Juliet.

STEEVENS. 8 This play was reprinted in 1770 at Feversham, with a preface attributing it to Shakspeare. The collection of parallel passages which the editor has brought forward to justify his supposition, is such as will make the reader smile. The following is a specimen : Arden of Feversham, p. 74:

Fling down Endimion, and snatch him up." Merchant of Venice, Ac V. sc. i:

“Peace, ho! the moon sleeps with Endymion." Arden of Feversham, p. 87: Let my death make amends for all

my

sin." Much Ado about Nothing, Ad IV. sc. ii :

Death is the faireft cover for her shame." STEEVENS. 9 The last stanza of a poem entitled Mirrha the Mother of Adonis ; or Lustes Prodegies, by William Barkited, 1607, has the following praise of Shakspeare's Venus and Adonis :

“ But stay, my muse, in thy own confines keepe,

“ And wage not warre with so deere-lov'd a neighbori.. " But, having fung thy day fong, rest and sleepe,

" Preserve thy small fame and his greater favor.
“ His song was worthie merit, (Shakspeare hee)

Sung the faire blossome, thou the withered tree :
66 Laurel is due to him; his art and wit
Hath purchas’d it; cypres thy brow will fit."

STEEVEN&

Afterwards entered by
Harrison, sen. June 23, 1594: by
W. Leake, June 23, 1596: by
W. Barrett, Feb. 16, 1616: and
by John Parker, March 8, 1619.

O&. 19, 1593.
Symon Waterson.) A booke entitled the
Tragedie of Cleopatra. '

301 b. Feb. 6, 1593. John Danter.) A booke entitled a noble

Roman History of Titus Andro-
nicus.

304 b.
Entered also unto him by war-
rant from Mr. Woodcock, the
ballad thereof.

March 12, 1593.
Tho. Millington.] A booke entituled the

First Part of the Contention of the
twoo famous Houses of Yorke and
Lancaster, with the Deathe of the
good Duke Humphrie, and the
Banishment and Deathe of the
Duke of Yorke, and the tragical
Ende of the proude Cardinall of
Winchester, with the notable Re-
bellion of Jacke Cade, and the
Duke of Yorke's first Claime unto
the Crown,

305 b.

* I suppose this to be Daniel's tragedy of Cleopatra. Simon Waterson was one of the printers of his other works.

STEEVENS, Daniel's Cleopatra was published by Waterson in 1594; this entry therefore undoubtedly related to it. MALONE,

С C

May 2, 1594:
Peter Shortc.] A pieafaunt conceyted hys-

torie called the Tayminge of a
Shrowe.

306 bi
May 9, 1594.
Mr. Harrison Sen.) A booke entitled the
Ravyshment of Lucrece.

306 b.
May 12, 1594.
Tho. Strode,] A booke entitled the famous

Victories of Henry the Fift, con-
taining the honorable Battell of
Agincourt.

306 b.
May 14, 1594.
Edw. White:] A booke entituled the famous

Chronicle Historie of Leire King
of England and his three Daugh-

3

4

ters.

307

May 22, 1594.
Edw. White ) A booke intituled a Winter
Nyghts Pastime."

307 b.

I conceive it to be the play that furnished Shakspeare. with the materials which he afterwards worked up into another with the same title. STEEVENS.

3 This might have been the very displeasing play mentioned in the epilogue to the second part of King Henry IV.

STEEVENS. The earliest edition of this play now known to be extant, was printed in 1598. Of that edition I have a copy. This piece furnished Shakspeare with the outline of the two parts of King Henry IV. as well as with that of King Henry V.

MALONE. + I suppose this to be the play on the fame subject as that of our author, but written before it. STEEVENS.

3 Query, if the l'inter's Tale. STEEVENS,